NIT Rourkela develops low-cost AI Robot that can talk, understand emotions; patent secured

Researchers at NIT Rourkela have patented an AI-powered social robot that interacts naturally with users. It recognises emotions and gestures.

Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed an indigenous AI-powered social robot that can communicate with humans in a natural and human-like manner. The institute has secured a patent for the innovation, which combines speech, gesture, emotion recognition and artificial intelligence on a single, cost-effective platform.

The robot is designed to understand everyday language, follow spoken commands, answer questions and hold real-time conversations, going beyond fixed or pre-programmed responses. It uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyse user inputs and generate natural-sounding replies.

NIT Rourkela has received Patent No. 574589 for the system. The research findings have also been published in the international journal Computers and Electrical Engineering by Elsevier. The paper was co-authored by Dr Anup Nandy, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Dr Asim Kumar Naskar, Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering, along with research scholar Sougatamoy Biswas and MTech graduate Rahul Saw.

One of the key features of the robot is its ability to recognise human emotions. By analysing facial expressions, the system can identify whether a user is happy, neutral or sad, and respond in a more empathetic and comforting way. The robot can also detect simple hand gestures, such as waving or raising a hand, making it easier to use for children and elderly people.

For verbal communication, the robot can greet users, give instructions and respond using clear, natural speech. It processes spoken or text-based commands through a Raspberry Pi system, while responses are delivered using Google Text-to-Speech technology.

The robot is built on a wheel-based platform and is equipped with distance sensors that help it move safely and avoid obstacles, even in crowded spaces. It can be used in homes, classrooms, hospitals, offices and community areas.

According to Dr Anup Nandy, the innovation supports the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives by offering an affordable and integrated solution tailored for Indian needs. The robot is expected to cost between ₹80,000 and ₹90,000, making it far cheaper than similar systems available globally.

Going forward, the team plans to conduct pilot testing in real-world settings and explore partnerships for commercial deployment.

(Based on press release issued by NIT Rourkela.)